Wheel cover and securing means therefor



June 9, 1936. o. u. ZERK 2,043,874

WHEEL COVER AND SECURING MEANS THEREFOR Filed Oct. 3, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet l I I l I m R f v 42 45 u ml 43 49 6 2 4 J l9 J 7 7 12 R11"??? f0 J J g a: i 15 44 o 50 I 1 45 5 15 42 17 I 33 INVENTOR.

June 9, 1936.. ZERK 2,043,874

WHEEL COVER AND SECURING MEANS THEREFOR Filed octfs, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet? iro Patented June '9, 1936 t I 3 '7 2 043 74 UNITED STATES PATENT -()F'FICE 2,043,814 Y r WHEEL oovEa AND1 sscmmvc MEANS THEREFOR Oscar U. Zerk, Cleveland, Ohio Application October a, 1931, Serial No. 566,615

' 6 Claims. (01.30147) My invention-relates to wheel covers and se- Fig. 1 is a diametrical sectional view through curing means therefor, which are applicable not a wheel and cover therefor which is an embodionly to artillery types of wheels, but also to covment of my invention; ers for other typesof wheels. I Fig. 2 is a section taken on the line 2-2 of 5 In my co-pending applications, Serial Nos. Fig. l; v 5

540,306, 540,307, 540,308, and 540,309, all flied I Fig. 3 is a plan view of the front ofthe wheel May 27, 1931, I have described a series of wheel illustrated in the foregoing figures wherein a covers of this general class. fragment of the hub cap is shown as broken away An object of my invention is to provide certo expose interior parts comprising attaching A tain elements of improvement to wheel covers of means for the cover. A 10 p the general types disclosed in my aforesaid 00- v Fig. 4 is a view of a part of Fig. 1 drawn to a pending applications. larger scale.

Another object of my invention is to provide Referring now to the different figures of drawimproved means for securing the wheel cover to ings in all of which like parts are designated by, the wheel in such a manner that the cover atlike reference characters, the "drawings illustrate 15 taching means may be situated inside of the outer .a wheel of the artillery type made preferably hub and can be reached after the outer hub cap entirely of sheet metal in order to form'a, sturdy has been taken away, from the wheel. inexpensive wheel construction having all of the Another object of my invention is to provide advantages 'of prior wheels of the artillerytype improved securing means for wheel covers which and the additional advantages nh r nt 111 1711 20 will permit the cover to .remain in place on the use of the sheet metal material.

wheel, while the wheel is detached from the in- However, my invention is not limited to the use 4 ner hub of the wheel, to which it is adapted to be of a wheel of the type described except in some connected for use. of its more specific phases, as willbe apparent Another object of my invention is to provide from the morespecific objects previously related 25 improved attaching means for wheel covers which and the following description of the said embodiwill not become loose when" the wheels carrying ment, and the included ,olaims. v said covers are in use on an automotive vehicle Referring to the drawings, at 2 I show a tubuor the like. lar wheel hub casting adapted to be mounted on -Another object of myinventionisto providean an axle 3 of an automotive vehicle. The hub 30 improved sheet metal cover adapted to be placed casting 2 s preferably Provided with a radial over wheels of the channeled spoke type and to mounting flange ii disposed near the inner end, cover the same with suiiicient play between the respectively, of the hub casting, although, the cover and the spokes to facilitate easy assembling flange is readily susceptible of a different posi 85 and to prevent sticking of the cover on or between tioning from that specifically shown. 35, the spokes. Bolts IS in cooperation with nuts l6 'removably Another object of my invention is to provide secured on their threaded ends, 'securely clamp "an improved sheet metal cover for wheels having the vehicle wheel proper to the hub casting 2, channeled shaped spokes which may be relatively the bolts being projected through aligned aper- 40 spaced from the wheel more at central portions tures of said wheel flange and the aforesaid hub 40 than at peripheral portions to facilitate ready casting flange apertures. assembling of the cover and wheel without undu Each bolt l5 may be made non-rotatable by sticking of the cover on the wheel. virtue of the interlocking nature of the contact Another object of my invention is to provide between the-outer surface of its neck l6 and the improved attaching means which permit removal .walls bordering the apertures through the hub 45 of the wheel from its place on the automotive flange i l. J

vehicle with the cover secured to said'wheel as a The wheel comprises. besides the hub flange mg, element It, substantially channel shaped sheet a Other objects of my invention and the inven metal spoke portions l8, whose sides are tapered tion itself will become more apparent from the from the ends in the radial direction the spokes 51 following description of an embodiment of my in- I I8 being rigidly secured to the inner surface of 'vention, wherein referenceis made to the accoina tire supporting rim is as .by welding, riveting, panying drawings forming apart of this speciflor in any other suitable manner.

ti Fig. 2 illustrates that the iateralwalls ll of 56 In th d awings;- the channel shaped spoke I! may be in slightly 55 relatively divergent directions throughout the lengths of said spokes.

The hub flange element ll of the wheel, annular in form, is preferably welded or otherwise aiiixed by its peripheral portion 20, to the inner ends of the spokes l8 toward the rear thereof.

- The outer faces of the spokes flare outwardly tothroughout their intermediate portions disposed between the rim l9 and the peripheral 20 of the hub supporting element l1.

The above brief description of the wheel, per se, may be .supplemented by reference to my cpending application, Serial No. 566,616, flled October 3, 1931, wherein the wheel per se is more specifically described, the description thereof herein being abbreviated since vmy invention is not limited to said form of wheel, the same being taken merely by way of example.

Such wheels as that disclosed in my said copending application commonly are provided with a closure cap for the central aperture 22 within. the outwardly disposed annular hub flange 2|. of my present invention, I employ a closure cap 24 which is secured within a central aperture of my improved wheel cover A, said cover and cap serving to close the hub opening of the wheel per se and I further provide means associated with said cover and cap adapted to facilitate removably securing said cap to the cover, and

to maintain the cover in position on the wheel.

The entire cover exclusive of the cap 24 above referred to and to be described, is preferably formed as a single annular sheet metal stamping having a peripheral rim cover. portion 9| terminating in a flange 25 resiliently engaging preferably the outer edge surface of the tire rim i8, by virtue of inwardly directed pressure made effective by means and in a manner to be described. The cover is formed with inclined curvilinear outwardly axially facing walls 29 extended from the rim portion 3| to a central flange 26. l

Each of thewall portions 29 is integrally joined to generally inwardly axially extending side wall portions 30, providing wheel spoke embracing channels to cover the wheel spokes i8.

including their divergent lateral walls i9, and at the same time the portions 30 are preferably divergent and spaced from the spokes l8 throughout their length, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2.

' Openings 28 are provided between the inclined spoke embracing cover portions '30 of adjacent spokes. spoke cover portions is not essential but may conform generally to the form of the wheel spokes to be covered. It is believed that the drawings clearly illustrate the preferred form.

The cap 24 referred to preferably comprises a pair of superposed sheet metal discs of preferably concavo-convex form, the outer disc having its peripheral portion inturned as at 4|, Fig.

portion In accordance with the principles The exact contour ofethe channeled pressed by said springs outwardly through said apertures.

An inwardly directed cylindrical flange 21 is secured to the inner border of the annular flange 26 of the wheel cover by bending its outer, end

.about the edge portion of said flange as at 45 to securelyenfold said edge portion. The flange 21' is provided with an outwardly projecting 81111111- lar recessed portion 46, disposed inwardly from its fold 45 and adapted to receive the springpressed detents 43 when the cap is placed over the aperture of the cover with the flange portion 42 of the innervdisc element of said cap telescoped within the outer end portion of the flange 21 supported by the sheet metal cover. The inner 'end of the flange 21 projects inwardly through and beyond the aperture 22 of the sheet metal hub flange 2| and is apertured at intervals, and interiorly threaded sheet metal eyelets 48 are securely positionedon said flange 21 withinsaid apertures. Clamping screws having enlarged heads 49, threaded stems 50 and tapered wedge-shaped ends 5| are adjustably screw-threaded through said eyelets and by their tapered wedge ends 5| make wedging' engagement with the inner surface of the flange 2| bordering the aperture 22, whereby when the screws are manually turned by their heads 49, the tapered ends 5|, engaging the inner surfaces of the flange 2|, will draw the flange 21 slightly an inwardly to communicate inwardly directed pressure therefrom to thesheet metal stamping A 'through the annular flange 26 thereof. The

securely on the wheel and in spaced relation therefrom except for the contact at the rim flange and with the hub portion of the wheel as described. a

A compressed helical spring 55 surrounds the threaded stem 50 and abuttingly reacts at opposite ends upon the head 49 and the eyelet 49 and by theresilient longitudinal pressure thus exerted on the stem ill takes up lost motion in the threads, prevents loosening andv rattling thereof and acting as a friction device prevents rotation of the stem 50 in the direction to loosen 50 the same. The adjustable screws 50 are rotatably dis: placed from alignment with the wheelbolts II and nuts i6 therefor, whereby after removing the cap 24 by a pulling pressure exerted thereonto overcome the eflect of the spring mounting Having thus described my invention in oer-:00

tain embodiments, I am aware that numerous and extensive .departures may be made from embodiments herein illustrated and described. but without departing from the spirit of my irivention. I

I claim: 6

1. A sheet metal cover for vehicle wheels of the type comprising a central hub portion having inwardly radially extending shoulder means,

the cover comprising a central nave portion and a portion extending radially outwardly therefrom, the radially outwardly extending cover", portion having peripheral portions engageable with portions of the wheel rim, securing-means comprising a plurality of screw-threaded elements on the cover having portions adapted to be moved to overlap the said shoulder means of the hub portion when screwingly turned in one direction draw the cover toward the wheel, and resilient means maintaining the said elements in adjusted position.

2. A cover for wheels of the type comprising a hub having a generally radial flange, the cover comprising an annular rim covering portion, a central outwardly axially projecting portion joined thereto and having a central perforation, a perforation covering cap removably attached to the central portion, means on the central portion disposed axially inwardly of the outer termination thereof for removably attaching the cover to the hub, said means comprising a generally tubular portion projecting inwardly axially from the central portion of the cover, and

outwardly radially extending elements supported on the tubular portion and engageable with the hub flange.

3. A sheet metal cover for wheels of the'type comprising a hub element provided with an inwardly directed flange portion, the cover comprising a body portion having a central perfora tion, cover attaching means disposable within the hub operable through the perforation for removably attaching the cover by its central portion to the said hub flange, and a cap for substantially closing the perforation and means removably attaching the cap to the central portion of the cover.

tending cover portion having peripheral portions engageable resiliently with peripheral portions of the wheel, securing means comprising a plurality of screw-threaded elements on the cover having portions adapted to be moved to overlap.

the said shoulder means of the hub when screw- 5 ingly turned in one direction to draw the cover toward the wheel and engage it resiliently therewith.

5. ma sheet metal cover for wheels of the type comprising an axially outwardly extending v flanged hub element, a wheel masking centrally perforated stamping, operable securing means supported on the stamping accessible through the perforation engageable with the wheel -hub flange to draw the stamping toward the wheel,

comprising a generally radially disposed screw element having a smooth surface portion adapted to overlap the hub flange when screw-turned in one direction and a cap for covering the perforation detachably connected to the stamping, the cap and stamping completely covering the securing means. i v r 6. In a wheel cover for wheels of the type comprising generally radial spoke portions and a generally circular series of wheel hub attaching elements, a sheet metal stamping for masking portions of the wheel, a plurality of securing means associated with the stamping adapted to be engaged with portions of the wheel tosecure a stamping on the wheel, the securing meansbeing disposed in a generally circular series generally coaxial with the wheel attaching elements, the stamping having generally channel form, spoke simulating portions adapted to nest with wheel spoke portions to predetermine relatively rotated positions of the stamping and wheel to effect relative staggering relation of the said so,

curing means and attaching elements.

, OSCAR U. ZERK. 

